How to Become a Leader at Work
Posted October 6th, 2014
As the economy improves, San Jose businesses increasingly are more willing to promote employees into positions of leadership/management – and award a raise, as well.
Read below for some tips on how you can become “management material.”
- Leaders know how to make decisions. They know that the buck stops with them and that they are the guys or gals who often will have to make important decisions, sometimes under extreme pressure. Leaders know that they won’t always have all the facts they need to make “the right” decision, and understand that they often will have to make critical decisions when they don’t know everything they believe they should know before doing so. Yet good leaders make the decision anyway. They’ll take as much time as needed – or they can get, in emergency decisions – and then they don’t waffle: they make the decision. If you feel you lack good decision making skills, you’ll need to learn them.
- Good leaders know that they’ll sometimes have to make decisions that are unpopular with their employees. They also know they’ll make mistakes. They don’t dwell on these mistakes; they learn from them and get on with business. If you have a hard time being unpopular, if you tend to dwell on mistakes, you’re going to have to learn how to withstand the flak from disappointed staff members and you’re going to have to learn how to forgive yourself when a decision you made turns out poorly.
- Good bosses don’t manage by coercion, they manage by example. They have a vision for their department/company and they get their employees to buy into that vision. They also make goals and plans on how to reach those goals. If you’re something of a bully, you’re going to have to change your ways. If you prefer to “wing it,” rather than setting clear goals, learn how.
- Good supervisors don’t make their employees guess what they want: they communicate their desires, goals and vision so that others can understand easily. They speak well in front of others. If you feel your speaking skills could use some polishing, take a course or join a Toastmasters group. If you’re not good at articulating what you want, read a goal-setting book or take a course.
- Most importantly, good leaders are people who can be trusted. Their employees know that they say what they mean and do what they say. True leaders are dependable. Take a look at yourself: if you fudge at times, if you exaggerate, if you say one thing and then go do another, if you keep secrets that shouldn’t be kept, stop.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career into management, send your resume to the recruiters at Bayside Solutions. We look forward to helping you become the leader you always knew you could be. Contact us today.
